Software Engineering: An Idea Whose Time Has Come and Gone?

Tom DeMarco, arguably one of the key thinkers when it comes to how we develop software has been reflecting.

My early metrics book, Controlling Software Projects: Management, Measurement, and Estimation (Prentice Hall/Yourdon Press, 1982), played a role in the way many budding software engineers quantified work and planned their projects. In my reflective mood, I’m wondering, was its advice correct at the time, is it still relevant, and do I still believe that metrics are a must for any successful software development effort? My answers are no, no, and no.

If that doesn't rock you back on your heels, then you need to re-read that paragraph.

Next you need to go read the whole article (2 pages).

As someone who prefers the agile approach I have been pushing the value based approach over the control based one for nearly a decade now. But to see someone like Tom question publicly what he (and we) have been doing for the last 30 years makes me respect Tom even more, and give me hope that as an industry we are heading in the right direction.